“I’m happy,” I say. I don’t know why but I feel this overwhelming need to protect her. To care for her and she does make me happy, something I haven’t felt in a long time.
She allows me to hold her. I don’t feel alone. I also don’t know what’s happening. Relationships aren’t really my thing. I had a girlfriend back in high school and that ended badly when I left for Westfall. Besides, I don’t really see a point to them. Someone is always going to let you down or they won’t stick around. I didn’t stick around for Scarlet, my girlfriend from high school. My dad didn’t stick around for Mom, me, and Logan. People don’t stick. I know my friends think they’ve found their forevers but I’m not sold. Wolfe has been with Rebel for a couple of years and Holland and Cole have only been together over a year. Cole doesn’t seem the type to take off on his kid and neither does Holland, but who knows what kind of curveballs life can throw your way.
“Let me take care of you,” Poppy says, running her hand over my very apparent hard-on.
“Not tonight,” I deflect and I mean it. “Let me just hold you.”
“Okay. You good?”
“Me?” I ask, feeling surprised.
“Yeah, you went quiet. Whenever I’m quiet I’m thinking hard. What are you thinking, Declan?” she asks. This girl.
“I’m thinking I like spending time with you,” I share.
“But,” she asks.
“There’s no but,” I chuckle.
“There’s always a but, Declan. Now spit it out. What has you worried? Is it Ryse because. . .”
I capture her lips again. “It’s not Ryse,” I whisper against her mouth. I kiss her again and we get distracted by the lust growing between us. It doesn’t take long for her to want me to touch her again but this time she says, “Only if I can touch you too.”
Those aren’t words I’m expecting. I also can’t deny her so as I get her off with my fingers for the second time, she has her hand wrapped around my cock, pumping it up and down. A bead of precum sits on the tip and I pace my breaths not to lose it on her. Who would have thought?
“I’m going to come again, Declan,” she pants and her grip on my cock tightens and she begins to pump me faster.
“If you don’t stop that handy I’m going to blow,” I warn.
“Come, Declan,” she pants, gyrating her hips. It’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. She comes and so do I. My back stiffens and my vision clouds as I continue to draw out her orgasm and then we both fall back on the bed.
“I better get a tissue to clean up,” I say.
She rolls off the bed and lifts her pants on her ass. She’s got one hell of a fine ass. She comes back from the bathroom with a box of tissues and I feel like a teenager all over again wiping cum off my abdomen.
After we clean up, we watch Red Notice but she falls asleep in the middle. I press a kiss to her temple and slide off the bed. I leave her a note on her pillow.
Sweet dreams, Poppy. We’ll talk in the morning. D
I lock her door from the inside and slide out. Lucky her roommate didn’t walk in. I head back to the hockey house with a smile on my face, feeling much lighter. When I walk through the door most of the guys are hanging out in the main room.
“That was one heck of a long jog, McAvoy,” Ryse observes.
“Nah! He looks like he got laid,” Hayworth says.
I shake my head at the guys and head up to my room.
“Get back here and talk, douchebag,” Ryse calls out.
Definitely won’t be talking.
“Declan never says shit,” I hear Hayworth say.
“True,” Ryse answers him.
Very true, Ryse, because if you knew you would have my balls on a skewer.
FIFTEEN
Poppy
Declan: Are we meeting up tonight?
Me: Sorry, I told you that Holland was planning something. She invited me over tonight. She has a friend from out of town visiting. I’ll be drinking wine with the girls.
It’s been a full two weeks of Declan and I spending a lot of time in my dorm room while Bonnie goes out. We meet in secret and hook up. It’s exciting and he’s teaching me so much. I mean, I’ve watched porn to learn how to give a good BJ, but watching porn never did anything for me. But being with Declan. Boy, that guy is hot and gets me all bothered but there’s more to us than just the hookups. He’s become a friend. Only problem is I have complete writer’s block on what to write for his Spotlight.
My cell rings.
“Hello.”
“Hi, you do realize that Holland is my best friend’s girlfriend,” Declan says.
“No, and how are you?” I ask mockingly.
“Poppy, seriously,” he groans.
“I know,” I chuckle. “I won’t breathe a word.”
“And who else is she having over?” he asks.
“Her sister, some other girl named Rebel—who is visiting from New York—and that girl’s sister. I hope I’m not going to feel like the odd one out,” I say.
“Geez, Rebel and Holland are my best friends’ girls. If they found out we were together Cole and Wolfe would beat my ass. Ryse is their friend too and what I’m doing. . .”
“I know, can screw with your game on the ice,” I finish his sentence because he likes to remind me of what a risk he’s taking to be with me. He’s also admitted that he can’t get enough of me, which makes me feel really good because the feeling is mutual.
“Fine, sorry,” he says. “Have fun tonight.”
“You too. What are you going to do?”
“I’ll probably head to a bar with the guys or something,” he shares. “I’ll text you.”
“Okay. Have fun too,” I say, and it’s then I realize that I’m going to miss Declan tonight. He’s become a constant for me in such a short amount of time.
We say our goodbyes and I get off the phone. Bonnie walks into the dorm and she has perfect timing. I don’t know what’s gotten into her lately, but she has become a lot less friendly. I don’t know if it’s something I said or did. I’m not sure I should ask her either because I don’t want to stir the pot.
“Hi,” I greet her.
“Hey,” she says and drops her backpack by her desk. “I have to stay in tonight and catch up on some readings and papers. I’ve fallen so behind.”
“That’s tough. I know what you mean. I’m finding the workload overwhelming too,” I sigh.
“But you never go out,” she points out. I don’t know if she’s purposely trying to make me feel bad, but it kind of does.
“True, but the workload is so much more than high school. It’s been an adjustment,” I explain, not that she deserves it.
“You’re so smart though. I bet your grades are awesome,” she says, and it starts to make me feel uncomfortable.
“They’re okay,” I say blandly, even though that isn’t true. I work very hard to get good grades. I don’t have an option to fail. My family has put too much on the line to get me to this point.
“Have you written the paper for our communications and media studies course?” she asks. It’s a first-year course so I’m not sure why she’s taking it this year, but it’s the only class we have in common.